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Balloons over Waikato starts next week

Hot air balloons from around the world will colour the city from next Wednesday 22nd March with events everyone can be a part of starting at Wednesday’s mass lift off from Innes Common, Hamilton Lake. There is also the School Hop where balloons visit 18 schools around the city, the hot & fiery City Burn and Markets in Garden Place, Thursdays Breakfast at Dawn, competitive flying tasks each morning from Innes Common and the Zuru Nightglow on Saturday night.

The Shaped Hot Air Balloons are always the stars of the show, and event manager Michele Connell, is thrilled to confirm 5 Special Shapes will fly at the festival for 2017.

“We have a gorgeous collection of Special Shapes including Big Hug (an elephant and a bear in an embrace), Copter Boy (a cartoon-style helicopter), both from Brazil and a home built balloon from Canada, the Alien Rocket (a spacecraft). The Resene in Love with Colour Lovebirds (a heart-shaped balloon) and Robbie for Ronald McDonald House (a boy in a wheelchair) both come to us from the USA.”

Hamilton’s biggest night out is The ZURU Nightglow on the grounds of the University of Waikato, this year set to be one of the best ever! 5 hours of live entertainment on the main stage including music legend Jordan Luck and his band. There will be carnival rides, food and an aerobatic display from the Royal NZ Air Force new Black Falcon team. The stunning orchestrated hot air balloon glow is a full production, with an epic large scale live performance of the Time Warp culminating in the finale of the spectacular firework display. A night not to be missed.

The balloons final flight is on Sunday from 7am, then don’t miss the RNZAF Black Falcons fly over the city as they depart mid morning.

Visit www.balloonsoverwaikato.co.nz for all the information you need, or like them on Facebook for the most up to date daily flying information.